"Gentlemen, what a grand display!"
A clear and peaceful voice quietly echoed between heaven and earth.
The enormous crack in the sky began to heal at an illogical speed, as if an invisible hand was smoothing over the world's wounds.
At the very moment the crack closed completely, a figure appeared silently between heaven and earth.
The person stood high in the Nine Heavens, seemingly shining as brightly as the sun and moon.
He was dressed in a simple white Confucian Robe, and looked to be no more than thirty years old.
However, the moment he appeared, the terrifying pressure that had previously filled the world not only did not dissipate, but instead became even more restrained and solid!
Without any action or words, its mere existence caused all living beings below, including several Unparalleled Realm beings, to feel a profound sense of insignificance and trembling from the depths of their souls.
A true Golden Immortal!
An existence that transcends all Principle and powers of this world!
His gaze swept calmly over the crowd below, who stood ready for battle. There was no sadness, joy, anger, or resentment in his eyes; it was as if he were looking down on a group of insignificant ants.
"Zilu?"
It's been a long time.
A deep, magnetic voice, yet filled with overwhelming hatred and chilling murderous intent, rang out.
Xiang Yu took a step forward, his imposing body as upright as a mountain, facing the figure high in the Nine Heavens.
He stared intently at Zilu, as if he wanted to devour him alive.
"Betraying the Three Realms, abandoning the Human Race, and willingly becoming a lackey for those extraterrestrial scum."
Doesn't this feel very comfortable?
"Xiang Yu, the Hegemon -Xiang Yu?"
Zilu's gaze fell on Xiang Yu, his expression remaining calm and unwavering.
He sized Xiang Yu up and down for a moment, his tone calm, yet carrying a condescending scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible... pity?
"Back then, the Overlord was Daluo Golden Immortal who dominated the Three Realms. How awe-inspiring and domineering he was!"
Unexpectedly, times have changed, and when we met again, he had fallen into such a state.
How tragic, how lamentable.
"Oh,"
Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu did not get angry but laughed, his smile filled with coldness and mockery:
"It is true that I am in dire straits."
But you, who were once a Daluo Golden Immortal and a disciple of Sage, the 'Zilu,' are now also hiding in this dilapidated Principle incomplete land.
Was it only by stealing and devouring this meager amount of Heavenly Dao Origin that they barely managed to climb back to the threshold of Golden Immortal?
It seems that you, a lackey, aren't very well-regarded by the Pan Clan?
They're even reluctant to expend resources to help you rebuild your foundation and restore your Cultivation; you have to rely on yourself to 'eat' it back little by little?"
Xiang Yu's words were like the sharpest dagger, precisely piercing into Zilu's most hidden and unbearable scar!
In the great calamity that struck the Three Realms, the Primordial World shattered, and countless powerful beings perished.
As Confucianism sage, Zilu was also drawn into that fierce war that affected Myriad Heavens and Worlds.
During the final bloody battle, he was inadvertently corrupted by the Sea of Blood Origin power of the Patriarch Styx, Divine Soul Dao foundation almost collapsed, Cultivation completely ruined.
Moreover, the Sea of Blood Curse of the Patriarch Styx was like a leech, constantly eroding the foundation of his Divine Soul and preventing him from recovering his Cultivation.
He once asked his Master for help from the Pan Clan.
However, in the eyes of the Pan Clan, a mere Zilu was nothing more than an insignificant Zilu, and they would never bother to care whether he lived or died.
Left with no other choice, Zilu took a risky step and, with Confucius's help, completely severed his foundation in Daoism and his Divine Soul.
Although this lifted the Curse of the Styx River, it also destroyed his foundation, Cultivation recovery extremely slow.
Only now has he recovered to the level of Golden Immortal Cultivation.
Xiang Yu's words undoubtedly struck a nerve with Zilu.
In particular, the phrases "not well-liked" and "reluctant to spend resources" struck at his deepest sore spot and his resentment towards the Pan Clan!
If the Pan Clan truly valued him, given their resources, why would they have allowed him to endure hundreds of thousands of years of hardship to barely recover to the Golden Immortal?
And yet, your foundation is unstable, and your Dao heart is flawed?
Zilu's usually expressionless face finally showed a slight ripple.
A fleeting glimpse of gloom and coldness crossed the depths of his eyes.
Although he quickly regained his composure, that fleeting emotion was still caught by Xiang Yu, Zhang Yu, and the others who were watching him closely below.
"Actually, what happened back then..."
Zilu's voice remained calm, but it seemed to carry a barely perceptible dryness.
He seemed to still want to defend himself, to find a seemingly reasonable excuse for his betrayal:
"I often ask myself these questions, and I am filled with regret."
However, due to the circumstances at the time, the principle of respecting Master was paramount, and as a Confucianism disciple, it was my duty to respect my teacher.
A teacher's orders are as weighty as a mountain; I... have no choice but to obey.
He shifted the blame to the situation and his master's orders, attempting to cloak his actions in a guise of helplessness and loyalty.
"Ha, what a fine 'have no choice but to comply' statement!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, his voice carrying clearly in all directions:
"Zilu, doesn't your Confucianism emphasize the ethical principles of 'Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher'?"
'Master' is only ranked fifth!
But back then, for the sake of your high and mighty 'master's' orders, you betrayed the 'heaven and earth' that gave you birth and nurtured you, betrayed the 'king' who protected the Human Race, and betrayed your fellow Human Race comrades who were your own brothers.
Is this what you call 'having to comply'?
Is this what you call 'respecting teachers and valuing the Way'?
Do you think this is reasonable?
Zhang Yu's questions were like a barrage of bullets, each word piercing the heart, directly pointing to the core contradiction in Zilu's behavioral logic!
They turned around and slammed the Confucianism ethical principles used to bind others right in the face of this "sage"!
Zilu was speechless for a moment when asked the question.
He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found that any words he uttered seemed pale and powerless, full of loopholes, under Zhang Yu's sharp questioning based on Confucianism theories.
His gentle and peaceful facade finally cracked, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
After a moment of silence, Zilu slowly spoke, his voice lower and carrying a resigned indifference and resolute determination:
"The past is gone, like the wind passing by; it cannot be retrieved or changed."
Having embarked on this path, I know that behind me lies an abyss, and ahead may also be a dead end.
However, once the path has been chosen, there is no turning back.
Right and wrong, merits and demerits, honor and disgrace, will be judged by future generations.
There's no point in saying more today.
He raised his eyes, his gaze returning to its calm and profound state.
"Then stop talking nonsense."
Xiang Yu was already impatient, and the fighting spirit in his eyes was boiling to its peak.
He took a sudden step forward, the void beneath his feet shattered, and in his hand appeared a ferocious War Halberd — the Overlord Halberd— that was entirely black and wreathed in dark Blood Sha Qi!
The halberd tip pointed directly at Zilu, who was high in the Nine Heavens. His voice was like a resounding bell, shaking the heavens and earth.
"Let's get started!"
Before he finished speaking, Xiang Yu's massive, mountain-like body transformed into a dark red streak of light that tore through the sky, charging headlong towards Zilu, who was high above the Nine Heavens!
"Watch out!" the Empress Houtu couldn't help but exclaim.
"Let's attack together!"
Zhang Yu, Xu Xinwu, Houtu, Maitreya, Donghua, Longqie, and other Supreme- level powerhouses unleashed their full power almost simultaneously.